Essay describing folklore and customs

I. Manchu Manchu Folkways and Folk Customs

[Introduction to the nation]

Manchu, the existing population of about 9,821,000 people. Mainly distributed in the three northeastern provinces, Liaoning Province for the most, a small number of scattered in the country's large and medium-sized cities. The Manchus have a long history, dating back to more than 2 0 0 0 years ago, the Sushin people. The Sushans are the earliest ancestors of the Manchus. In the Liao, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, they were known as the "Women's Genghis Khan". They lived for a long time in the vast area east of the Changbai Mountains, the Heilongjiang River and the Ussuri River basin. 16th century, Nurhachu rose to power, with the female Zhen as the main body of the fusion of part of the Han Chinese, Mongols and Koreans, formed a new **** homogeneous body - the Manchus. The Manchu have their own language and script. The Manchus belong to the Manchu branch of the Manchu-Tungus language family of the Altaic language family. The Manchu script was created at the end of the 16th century with reference to the Mongolian script. Later, the borrowed Mongolian letters with "circles" and "dots", called "Manchu with circles and dots" or "New Manchu or "New Manchu". Since the Qing Dynasty, a large number of Manchus moved into the Central Plains, and interacted closely with the Han Chinese in terms of economy, culture and life, the Manchu people gradually adopted the Chinese language. The Manchus were mainly engaged in agriculture. Diaspora Manchu people in the cities are mostly engaged in industry and cultural and scientific undertakings. In the long process of historical development, Manchu compatriots have made important contributions to the founding of the motherland and the development of culture.

[Diet]

Biscuits are the main food of the Manchu people on weekdays and festivals. Biscuits are made of sticky rice. There are bean noodles and cakes, Su Ye cakes and cakes and sticky cakes and cakes. Manchu meat and potatoes is very resistant to hunger, easy to carry, unique flavor, to today is still quite popular food. Sour soup is also a traditional Manchu meat and potatoes food. Sakima is a nationally renowned Manchu pastry.

[Wedding and funeral customs]

Manchu wedding both with the strong characteristics of the nation, but also the integration of a number of customs and etiquette of the Han Chinese people, generally speaking, to go through the following procedures: betrothal: young men and women of the Manchu people are engaged in two forms. One is the parents of young men and women are acquaintances or friends, mutual understanding, intends to do marriage, will be entrusted to the matchmaker to the children of the promise of life, there are men to the female side of the marriage proposal, there are women to the male side of the marriage proposal. The other is a man and a woman do not know each other, trust the matchmaker for the children engaged, and by the matchmaker to transfer the two sides of the "gateway stickers", open the two sides of the flag Zuo, curriculum vitae, family name, three generations. In addition, also need to check each other's birthdates. Put fixed: that is, handing over the gift of wealth. Divided into two kinds of put a small fixed and put a small fixed. Put a small fixed is the future daughter-in-law to meet aunts, brothers and sisters-in-law and other male relatives, get property. Enlarge the fixed is called "over the big gift", commonly known as "under the big dish", is to choose an auspicious day, the male will be the bride price sent to the woman's home. The day before the wedding, the bridegroom should drink "welcome wind wine". The bride left home to the male party to borrow a good apartment to stay, commonly known as "playing the next hair". Early the next morning, the woman's home color car to send the bride, escorted by her brother. Color car to the groom's home, the cave door on the ground in front of a fire pot, so that the car carries the bride from the fire pot, commonly known as "over the fire to avoid evil spirits". In order to drive away or kill the ghosts and monsters with the sedan chair, the groom to the door of the sedan chair virtual shot three arrows; there are also real shot, but generally are shot towards the bottom of the sedan chair, so as not to hurt the bride. Then, the bride was helped out of the sedan chair to heaven and earth before, with the groom together to the north three kowtow, commonly known as "worship Beidou". After worshiping the Big Dipper after the world-famous line "skimming" ceremony. That is, wearing a red head of the bride and groom, face south kneeling in front of the table in the courtyard, the table for a side of pork knuckles, wine three cups, a knife, the shaman kneeling one-legged in front of the table, one side of the Manchu chanting, one side of the knife with a knife to cut the meat into pieces and thrown into the air, while the end of the wine cups to splash the wine on the ground. The main purpose is to beg God to bless the newlyweds, so that they are full of children and grandchildren, and grow old together. After these ceremonies, the bride by the whole family (i.e., parents and children all people) into the cave. When the bride crosses the doorway, a saddle is placed on the doorway, and the bride must cross over from above. The new room bed must be laid by the whole family, the bridal chamber is laid to play music in the room, called "ringing room". Bride into the bridal chamber, a little girl with two copper mirrors in hand, to the bride to shine, and then hang the copper mirror in the bride's chest and back. Then, another little girl handed over two tin pots, which holds rice, money, etc., the bride or held in the arms, or clamped in the armpits, commonly known as "hold the bottle", also known as "hold the media pot. When the bride on the bed after sitting still, the groom with a scale rod to cover the bride's head of the red cloth removed, called "uncovered". The next step is for the couple to drink a cup of wine and eat Hohi noodles, longevity noodles or children and grandchildren biscuits and so on.

[Architectural features]

Traditional Manchu housing is generally west, center, east three, the door opens towards the south, the west room called west on the house, the center called the hall, the east room called the east under the house. In the west house, there are kangs in the south, west and north, the west kang is expensive, the north kang is big, the south kang is small, the guests live in the west kang, the elders live in the north kang, and the elders live in the south kang.

[Costume Characteristics]

In the 1930s, Manchu men and women wore straight, wide-breasted, large-sleeved robes. The hemline of the female cheongsam reaches to the (left bone and right trunk) (calf), with embroidered floral motifs. The hemline of the male cheongsam was ankle-length, with no ornamentation. 40s later, by the impact of the new fashion trend at home and abroad, the Manchu male cheongsam was abandoned, and the female cheongsam was changed from wide-sleeved to narrow-sleeved, and straight to tightly fitted with a waistline, slightly larger at the hips, and with a recovered hemline that was ankle-length. Gradually formed today's colorful decorative and human body lines beautiful cheongsam style.

[Ethnic taboos]

Indoor west kang shall not sit and pile up sundry things; avoid dog fighting, dog killing and avoid eating dog meat; do not wear a dog skin cap, do not lay a dog skin mattress, taboo to wear a dog skin cap or dog skin sleeve guests.

Two. Mongolian folk customs

Mongolians since ancient times, there are a variety of welcome etiquette. Appointment of guests, whether it is a social group or a private meeting, the host is always far from welcoming the guests. Some people wait by the roadside, some come on horseback, some come on motorcycles and jeeps, and on grand occasions they greet their guests in several echelons.

If you are traveling to the prairie, you will surely come to the Mongolian residence on the prairie - yurt as a guest, because this is the tradition of the Mongolian people from ancient times to the present day. When you come here, you can't help but praise the host's residence, "This is really a good place, the prairie's natural scenery is wonderful!" Or you'll use your improvised Mongolian to say, "Sainu! Sainu! Good!) Express your feelings, a Mongolian word out, the owner of the place will be heartily pleased.

When the grassland hosts welcome you into the yurt, the guests sit on the left side of the yurt in the same order. Generally, if you are a very honorable guest, the host will take the initiative to let you sit on the north side of the yurt (the west side of the yurt for men and the east side of the yurt for women). At this time, the housewife will put the sweet milk food, hand-steak meat in front of the guests, and then served a bowl of hot fragrant milk tea, guests to taste. Then in the greetings and laughter began to toast, the host hand holding the khada, holding a silver bowl, Qi Mei lifting plate, the wine in front of you. If the guests drink it all, the host will be very happy, and then the host and guest love integration, the atmosphere will soon warm up; if you are not good at drinking, take over the silver bowl to taste a taste can also be. But it is best to drink the wine in the bowl, which expresses the host's respect and intimacy.

Hospitality

Here the host first to the guests poured on the new boiled milk tea, milk, cakes, fried rice and other tea for the guests to pressure hunger and thirst, and some also do some noodles, so that the guests ate a little less pad a frequency of congratulations? Then toast. By the host first with a small wine? (Wine cup) to the guests each toast a cup, which is the beginning of the toast. Then with a large cup (a little smaller than the silver bowl dedicated to the toast of the silverware) from the guests in the elderly to start, one by one; toast up to a certain number of cups will be played and sung for the guests to drink to cheer up; after the wine meal, the highest hospitality for the guests of the whole goat feast, followed by the back of the goat feast.

Magical yurts

If the grassland is the green sea, yurts are the white sails in the sea. As a unique building on the grassland, the yurt is both beautiful and practical, and the structure is simple and easy to dismantle and transport.

The yurt has a simple structure, easy to dismantle and assemble, local materials, self-production and self-use, etc., very suitable for nomadic life, the yurt fully reflects the ingenuity of the nomadic people. In the sea-like green grassland, the starry yurts with white sails will make people realize the harmony between man and nature! The yurt is in the shape of a canopy, with a rounded peaked roof, surrounded by one or two layers of woolen felt, and supported by "hanas" and "urni poles" inside. "Hanah" is dozens of the same thickness, polished wooden sticks, connected by cowhide rope, forming a retractable net-like support. The "Uni pole" is an umbrella-shaped roof support with wooden sticks. At the top of the yurt, there is also a skylight, which provides both ventilation and light. The whole yurt with a number of woolen rope securely fixed against the wind.

Gorgeous national costumes

Mongolian costumes include clothes, belts, boots and headdresses, etc., which are well styled and beautifully decorated. Mongolian robe is the main clothing of Mongolian people. Mongolian robe body wide, long sleeves, the lower end of the non-open, high collar, clothing with the center circle, very adaptable to the vast grassland nomadic life in the cold and a coat with the need for multi-purpose. Belt is essential to Mongolia robe, belt generally made of silk, satin and other materials, up to several meters long, the color depending on the color of the robe. When men tie the belt, the robe upward, the hemline bundled shorter, that is, appear to be dry and dashing, riding or labor is also convenient. Women of the opposite, tie the waist when the robe must be stretched to show that the body of the slim and healthy. Wear Mongolia robe tie belt in addition to clothing needs, practical value is also very large, tied belt riding can keep the waist and ribs of the stable and vertical, winter can also keep warm.

The blessing of Chagansa Day

Mongolians call the first month of the year "Chagansa Day" (Chinese for "white month"); the Spring Festival activities on the steppe mainly include fire rituals, birthday celebrations, and worship. The main activities of the Spring Festival on the steppe are fire, birthday, New Year's Eve, etc., and from the twenty-third day of the Lunar New Year to the first month (Chaganza Day) to reach a climax.

Fire festival

Mongolians have been welcoming the Spring Festival with a fire festival for a long time, because the burning fire symbolizes all the luck and good fortune in the year. In the past, the fire festival was more popular, and the date and method of the festival were different for each family. "Ha Ri Chuhuo" (poor people) generally in the waxing twenty-third fire, and "Tai Ji" (nobles) in the waxing twenty-fourth fire, some herdsmen tied with five small bundles of five-colored colorful silk reeds inserted in the tree outside the door, will be split into thin strips of quassia on the burning fire support The head of the family kneels on the mat at the main door in his gown and offers the breastbone of the sheep, wrapped in an oil net, to the sacred fire. The women then sprinkle wine and butter into the sacred fire and stand in order, bowing. Wealthy herdsmen make large fire offerings, sacrificing whole sheep and inviting their neighbors to tea and wine. Some of the sacred fire lit three days after not extinguished, three days in the field is not allowed to move, not allowed to roast feet on the sacred fire. At present, the traditional sacrificial fire in the new generation of herdsmen have rarely held, but in the grassland tourist spots and celebrate the happy days, people still point a bunch of bonfires to help.

Blessing of life

One of the main elements of herders' activities during the Spring Festival. The object of birthday wishes for the just "this year" of the elders. Wish life begins, first for 85, 73 old people wish life, time is generally in the waxing moon 25 or 26, waxing moon 27 to new year's eve of a few days, is for 61, 49 of the current year of the people wish life. To the elders to celebrate the birthday, the younger generation in addition to salute congratulations, but also give birthday gifts to show respect. The weight of the birthday gift, generally depending on the age of the birthday object.

New Year's Eve

The climax of the Spring Festival on the prairie, nearby herdsmen are to drink tea with each other, and then people gather in the homes of the elders, New Year's Eve, "Nai Ri" (banquet) or family members gathered together to watch television programs. Then the shepherds go to every house that invites them, and sometimes, because there are so many households, the feast lasts all night.

New Year's Eve, the herdsman's family to put "flower plate" that is snacks, milk, candy, etc., neatly placed in a large plate, placed in the form of most of the cylindrical, but also square, each layer of a kind of, very regular. This custom, not only in the herder's home has been retained, but also in the city of Mongolia home, also inherited this tradition.

New Year's Eve

The most solemn activity of the Spring Festival on the prairie, New Year's Eve on the first day of the first month of the morning when the dawn began, the herders first sacrificed Ovoo, and then began to pay tribute to the New Year within the family, first of all, the younger generation to the elders greeted the kneeling, and then by the elders blessed elders a happy and long life. When paying homage to the New Year, the elders should be properly dressed, holding a hatta in their hands to carry out.

After the family worship, the herdsmen worship each other. Mutual worship, first to the home of the elderly, with the mutual worship, people automatically companion. Each to a family, to travel with the age of the person in order to enter. When paying homage, the herdsmen usually offer one or two odes or chants. For outstanding singers, the head of the household will hold up a plate of milk food with hada and offer his congratulations. The Spring Festival on the grasslands is rich in national characteristics, is the herdsmen after a year of hard work, singing and laughing moment.

Grassland Religion

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is also a variety of religions coexist in the ethnic areas, the existing Lamaism, Islam, Catholicism, Christianity, Orthodox Christianity, Han Buddhism and Taoism seven religions. Han Buddhism has a long history in our region, other religions have been introduced from the 17th century.

The Lamaism of Ximeng is Tibetan Buddhism Gelugpa, spreading more than 200 years of history. Before the liberation of Ximen, there are 192 Lamaism temples, lamas 12,750 people, mostly distributed in the pastoral area of the Sumu. 1960 temple reduced to 102, lamas 3542 people, 1966 temple reduced to 92, lamas 2290 people. During the ten years of civil strife, the Party's policy of freedom of religion was undermined, and the lamas suffered a great deal of impact, with the vast majority of temples destroyed and scriptures burned; the temples ceased their activities, with serious consequences. After the "Gang of Four" was crushed, especially since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Party, the government reaffirmed the policy of freedom of religious belief, and the lamas and believers of the Ximen Lamaism gradually resumed their normal religious activities, and the state allocated funds for the maintenance of some temples to renovate them, and some of the old and sick lamas who had no one to rely on received subsistence allowances, and the cause of self-support has been developed. The cause of self-support has developed.